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elrasho
Joined: 16 May 2010
Posts: 15
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 Posted: Mon May 17, 2010 1:48 pm Post subject: TEFL in Egypt |
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Hi,
I am seriously considering doing a TEFL course which will be a month long course in Alexandria. The accommodation is in al-Agami and is described as "Each apartment has a furnished sitting room, a bathroom with hot water and a kitchen equipped with a refrigerator, a cooker, and cooking utensils. All apartments are clean, comfortable and adequately furnished, but you'll need to bring sheets and towels. Optional free cleaning services are available once per week upon request."
Now I've googled as much as I can and cannot find any more information or pictures of the apartments. Has anyone done this course and stayed in these apartments? What are they like?
Hopefully once I have completed the course I want to find work as an English teacher in school in Alexandria or Cairo. Is there still demand for English teaches from native English speaking countries like there was about 5 years ago? Is anyone here doing this or are also planning to do this? What is the average salary for an English teacher, will it allow to me live comfortably in a decent apartment?
I plan to live in Alexandria or Cairo long term and would like to know the following. Is the Internet readily available everywhere and is it fast? Are there many gyms about if not can I buy my own gym equipment? I hope my questions don't sound too low key its just that I have limited knowledge about living in Alexandria and Cairo.
It looks like I have three options:
1. Take an 140 hour online TEFL course with 20 hours classroom experience (this is with other TEFL students, not actual students). Then apply for jobs in Egypt.
2. Do a 4 week CELTA course/12 week part time CELTA course and then apply for jobs in Egypt.
3. Enrol on a 4 week course in Egypt. This is the most expensive and requires the most commitment as I will actually be living in Egypt.
Right now I'm leaning towards Option 1 as its the most flexible and means I can carry on my current job and earn some savings for when I'm there. Hopefully I'll ha done the course by September and maybe get some teaching volunteer work in there too.
I still need to do more research on actually living in Cairo/Alexandria, things like the health care system, paying bills, taxes etc.... basically the things I need to do here in the UK. Im waiting for a callback from an agency that offers the 4 week placement course in Alexandria to complete a TEFL course..... I have soooo many questions to ask them better put my mobile phone on charge in case the battery runs out lol
I've been doing research on this subject for the past week and more I find out the more I want to go. Any advice or insight on what to expect would be greatly appreciated |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Mon May 17, 2010 2:37 pm Post subject: |
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We have posters who have done the course. Hopefully they will come online. Many of your questions have been answered on threads on this page. I suggest that you spend a bit of time reading them so posters don't have to answer them again.  Try the search option using "Alexandria."
IMHO... avoid online courses... the good employers don't recognize them. They want to see supervised teaching done with actual students. If I were in your situation, the number one choice would be the CELTA at the BC in Cairo, and the number two choice would be the Alex program. Number 3 would be a CELTA wherever you are now.
Both can be done in country and you will be making contacts as you study which will help you to find work when you are finished.
VS
(PS... flats will be basic... livable, but not fancy. I notice that it didn't mention hot water in the kitchen - my first two flats had none - nor does it mention AC... and there will be insect life, some can be quite large. But with the BC in Cairo, you have to find your own housing) |
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justcolleen
Joined: 07 Jan 2004
Posts: 654
Location: Egypt, baby!
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| Posted: Tue May 18, 2010 2:39 am Post subject: Re: TEFL in Egypt |
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| elrasho wrote: |
I am seriously considering doing a TEFL course which will be a month long course in Alexandria. The accommodation is in al-Agami and is described as "Each apartment has a furnished sitting room, a bathroom with hot water and a kitchen equipped with a refrigerator, a cooker, and cooking utensils. All apartments are clean, comfortable and adequately furnished, but you'll need to bring sheets and towels. Optional free cleaning services are available once per week upon request."
Now I've googled as much as I can and cannot find any more information or pictures of the apartments. Has anyone done this course and stayed in these apartments? What are they like? |
The only complaint I've ever heard about the flats themselves was the washing machine "chewing up" clothing. But then washing machines in Egypt aren't the typical top-loading, close the lid and turn it on type, either. There's a science to them, whether they're semi-automatic or fully automatic.
If you would like a view of "typical" apartments in Egypt and what they "typically" look like, http://www.e-dar.com (a real estate web site) will give you good visuals.
| Quote: |
| Hopefully once I have completed the course I want to find work as an English teacher in school in Alexandria or Cairo. Is there still demand for English teaches from native English speaking countries like there was about 5 years ago? Is anyone here doing this or are also planning to do this? What is the average salary for an English teacher, will it allow to me live comfortably in a decent apartment? |
Probably more as private schools are cropping up everywhere as an alternative to the horrid national education system - and provide lucrative financial returns for investors.
HOWEVER, if you are looking for work teaching ESL/EFL, your opportunities are limited. I've discussed this here before at length, but the short version is that students take SAT I and SAT II exams in order to enter college. Those exams are delivered in English. The result is that anyone who has a desire to learn English will probably have done it by the time they've completed high school. True, there are adults who, for whatever reason, decide to learn. In Alexandria, Amid East is the place to go for ESL/EFL employment.
The good news is that if you would like to teach English in a private school, the opportunites are definately there, both in Alexandria and Cairo.
Average salaries vary from Alexandria to Cairo, with Cairo typically paying more (however, the cost of living in Cairo - not to mention commute times - is higher). No matter where you land, you should be able to find employment that will allow you to live a rather comfortable life. Will it be enough to pay bills "back home"? Maybe. Maybe not.
| Quote: |
| I plan to live in Alexandria or Cairo long term and would like to know the following. Is the Internet readily available everywhere and is it fast? Are there many gyms about if not can I buy my own gym equipment? I hope my questions don't sound too low key its just that I have limited knowledge about living in Alexandria and Cairo. |
Internet: Yes. Net cafes are always within walking distance for outside use. It's not difficult to have an internet connection set up for home use, either through one of the internet service providers, through a local net cafe (stringing a connection to your flat), a clever net technicial tapping into a switch, if the building already has one, or with a mobile/flash type drive from one of the mobile telephone service providers.
Is it fast? You get what you pay for in this department. Is it reliable? Most of the time, although the under sea cables that connect Egypt to the internet are (literally) cut once or twice a year which puts the bulk of the country out of service for a few days.
Gyms: For males, yes. For females, no. Exercise type of activities for women are left to private clubs.
| Quote: |
It looks like I have three options:
1. Take an 140 hour online TEFL course with 20 hours classroom experience (this is with other TEFL students, not actual students). Then apply for jobs in Egypt.
2. Do a 4 week CELTA course/12 week part time CELTA course and then apply for jobs in Egypt.
3. Enrol on a 4 week course in Egypt. This is the most expensive and requires the most commitment as I will actually be living in Egypt.
Right now I'm leaning towards Option 1 as its the most flexible and means I can carry on my current job and earn some savings for when I'm there. Hopefully I'll ha done the course by September and maybe get some teaching volunteer work in there too. |
If your intention is to live in Egypt, take the course there as you will develop connections that will help you land long-term employment. It will also give you an opportnity to learn the lay of the land a little bit. Then there's that credibility thing that most assuredly comes with face-to-face programs and, yes, it matters.
| Quote: |
| I still need to do more research on actually living in Cairo/Alexandria, things like the health care system, paying bills, taxes etc.... basically the things I need to do here in the UK. Im waiting for a callback from an agency that offers the 4 week placement course in Alexandria to complete a TEFL course..... I have soooo many questions to ask them better put my mobile phone on charge in case the battery runs out lol |
The health care system varies from excellent to horrible, depending on how much money a person has to spend. The only type of universal health care available in Egypt consists of the government covering the cost of the hospital (not doctors, not tests, etc.) for Egyptian citizens. Unless it's a severe health problem, the local pharmacist (who always speaks English) is quite satisfactory. Medications are inexpensive and readily available over the counter, with no need for a doctor's visit/prescription. Major health issues, particularly those requiring surgery, are probably better take care of "back home" because it can be quite expensive at the better hospitals. The less than better hospitals? Think circa 1950 equipment and you'll have an idea. Not only is the equipment archaic, they aren't the cleanest which is an issue because Hepatitis C is epidemic in Egypt. To top it off, smoking in Egyptian hospitals is almost always A-OK.
Which agency is it?
What is your educational background? |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Tue May 18, 2010 4:14 am Post subject: |
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The public hospitals can be downright scary. I was even in a rather expensive one in Cairo and there were feral cats in the hallways... and they would streak through my friend's room!!
That said, the pharmacists function practically as GPs and are very knowledgeable. If it was something minor, I would just talk to the head pharmacist and we would discuss best options.
VS |
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elrasho
Joined: 16 May 2010
Posts: 15
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| Posted: Sat May 22, 2010 11:59 pm Post subject: |
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| I've applied to do a Tesol course in Alexandria. It will cost �1100 including accommodation. The thing that worries me is that I seem to have been accepted onto the course without doing some sort of test!? All I did was give them by details and confirm I am a native English speaker and have a degree. Is this normal? |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Sun May 23, 2010 1:41 am Post subject: |
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All too often in this sort of course, the most important qualification is whether you can pay the tuition. This is one of the reasons that the CELTA is more respected. (and more expensive)
VS |
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justcolleen
Joined: 07 Jan 2004
Posts: 654
Location: Egypt, baby!
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| Posted: Sun May 23, 2010 10:30 pm Post subject: |
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| This is the first I've heard they've asked about a degree. |
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bc5cf
Joined: 30 May 2010
Posts: 1
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| Posted: Sun May 30, 2010 3:26 pm Post subject: TEFL in Alex |
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Hello, I am also looking at doing this course! I was planning on renting my own place though as the accom I have seen so far looks very basic and I have been told that you can rent property easily. When were you thinking of doing the course? I was hoping for October which would set me up for applying for jobs etc to start in Feb 2011 (hopefully!).
I have also found it quite difficult to get detailed info on the course but did stumble accross this website which included moderation notes (most recent being Feb 2010). This site seems to have the most info I could find!
http://www.tefllife.com/alexandria-egypt
Let me know what you decide, maybe see you on the course!! 
Claire |
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elrasho
Joined: 16 May 2010
Posts: 15
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| Posted: Mon Jun 14, 2010 6:23 pm Post subject: |
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Good news, I got onto the CELTA course in Cairo 
I start in October and finish in November, my question is what are the chances I can get a teaching job in November as schools already start in September. Also what kind of salary would I be expecting?
By the way, thanks for all the info and advice guys |
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nstick13
Joined: 01 Dec 2008
Posts: 104
Location: The Ohio State University
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| Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2010 7:26 am Post subject: |
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VS: Should've sent me an e-mail! I'm always thrilled to chime in!
Did the CELTA at BC Cairo last October, a very good experience. Be prepared to be busy. Don't arrive the day just before the course, give yourself some time to get used to Cairo.
Jobs in Egypt are 98% who you know. I knew people with no qualifications teaching high school Geography.
Get on the Cairo Scholars Listserv run by the University of Texas. Good for accommodations, and any Cairo questions you would have. Google it.
I'd imagine Erica is running your course there this year? Maybe Nick will be there also? Terrific people and excellent teachers. You're in good hands and will learn a boatload.
Feel free to shoot me an e-mail (I don't come around here much now that I'm in Korea, unless VS e-mails me) at nstick13 at gmail dot com.
Cheers!
NSS |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2010 1:08 pm Post subject: |
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| elrasho wrote: |
| Also what kind of salary would I be expecting? |
Sorry N... I missed elrasho's last post.
As to salary, expect survival pay. You should eventually be able to support yourself adding some private lessons. As N says, much depends on who you know as they help to find jobs and private students. By my second academic year, private lessons paid all my bills quite easily... and travel around Egypt and nearby countries for short trips.
Be sure to have access (ATM card) to cash back home in case of emergencies.
VS |
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elrasho
Joined: 16 May 2010
Posts: 15
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| Posted: Sun Jun 27, 2010 12:53 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for all the information
I will be arriving a week before the course starts, I still need to sort out accommodation, where did you stay nstick13? I'm looking for a cheap place close to the BC. One thing I'm worried about is when I finish the course, I doubt I will be able to find work as schools will have already started.
nstick13 I have sent you an email too |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Sun Jun 27, 2010 1:52 pm Post subject: |
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In reality, most of your work opportunities are probably not in the schools anyway, but in language institutes. Their courses start and stop at various times, so they are probably your best chance until the second semester begins.
VS |
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elrasho
Joined: 16 May 2010
Posts: 15
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| Posted: Sun Jun 27, 2010 3:33 pm Post subject: |
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| Does the second semester start in January? |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Sun Jun 27, 2010 4:09 pm Post subject: |
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I'd say Jan or early February. It depends on the school and things have been strange lately with the problem of Ramadhan and Eid affecting the start of first semester.
VS |
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